What to Do When the Class You Need Is Closed

As a college student, there’s nothing worse than seeing the dreadful “closed-icon” above the class that you so desperately needed to take next semester. Don’t start freaking out just yet! Make sure you exhaust all of your options before throwing in the towel.

1. Contact the Professor

The first thing that you always want to do is email the professor that teaches the course. Explain your situation to them about how you really need to take this class next semester because your major requires it. They don’t want you falling behind do they?

Sometimes professors’ classes have reserved seats for specific majors, so you could get lucky if your major is one of them. If they say, “Surely I can fit you into my class” then great your work is done!

If not, the professor could tell you to sign up on the waiting-list in case anyone drops the class. Make sure you always signup for the waiting-list because you never know what could happen.

The professor could also tell you that it’s out of their hands and if that’s the case then you’re going to need to talk to the Department Chairperson.

2. Get In Touch With The Department Chairperson

After having no such luck with the professor it’s important to contact the Department Chairperson. You want to make an appointment to see him or her in person. So, it’s best if you call the secretary of the office to set the time and date of your meeting.

Now that you have met with the Department Chair and voiced your concerns, he or she is going to tell you one of two things.
The verdict might be that they’re going to have their secretary put you in the class, no problem!

Sometimes, somehow students that have fewer credits than you receive a seat in the class. When this happens and you’re being as persistent as you are, they will remove that student from the class and give you their seat.

If he says he cannot help you both because the class is already full and it’s impossible for him to exceed classroom limits, then it is now completely in your hands to receive a seat in the closed class.

3. Refresh, Refresh, Refresh

Now, there is nothing you can do but wait until the new semester starts. So, while you’re waiting keep refreshing the page and checking the availability of the class online. It’s very important to check several times a day because you never know when a student is going to drop the class.

Sometimes upper classmen can be greedy. They’ll enroll themselves into six or more classes and decide later which classes they want to take for the semester. They don’t fully take into mind that a lower-credit student could be in desperate need of that class.

So, once they drop the extra classes you’ll be right there ready to get that seat you’ve been working so hard to obtain!

4. Sit-In On The Class

During the first week of classes, also known as Add-Drop Week, you should go sit-in on the class. It shows the professor how serious you are about wanting to take this class.

Taking the initiative and being so proactive leaves an impression of high regards with the professor, especially if they remember you from your emails.

It proves you don’t give up and they like that in their students. It could be the last attempt that finally lands you a seat in the class.